Cultivator



Oct. 11, 1927.

R. H. GRIFFITH CULTIVATOR Filed March '7, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR R/UIARDH. RIFFITH Arrqmnsva.

1927" R. H; GRIFFITH CULTIVATOR Filed March 7, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ALK Q Q.

1927' R. H. GRIFFITH CULTIVATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 R.) E I H D M H m R Filed March '7. 1925 HTTORNE vs Oct. 11 1927. R. H. GRIFFITH CULTIVATOR Filed March v. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet' 5 INVENTOR RICHARD H,gRIFFI7'H,

HTTORNEYa Iii Iii)

Patented Oct, 11, 1927;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] RICHARD GRIFFITH, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO C'U'LTIVitTOR COMPANY, 0F BELLEVUE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO. i

CULTIVATOR.

application filed March 7, 1925. SerialNo. 13,717.

This invention relates to improvements in cultivators for the cultivation of fields hav ing crops of growing corn.

The present invention is kindred to that set forth in my application Serial No. 671,- 265, filed October 27, 1923, relating to cultivators. The features of this later invention are, essentially, the following:

(1) The combination with a wheeled axle and a draft frame and. shovel beams connected through intermediate devices with such frame and adapted to be drawn thereby, of a seat frame connected to the draft frame by means of swinging links which permit the fore and aft adjustment of the seat frame with reference to the draft frame. and of a seat adjusting lever fulcrumed to the draft frame and connected with the seat frame to shift it forwardly or rearwardly on its swinging links, and of connections between the seat frame and the shovel beams, whereby when the seat frame is adjusted forwardly it will lift the beams and when adjusted rearwardly will lower them.

(2) Th provision of springs in the above combination of parts which are anchored at one end to the general frame and are connected at the other, through intermediate devices, with the seat frame, and which exert a forward pull on the seat frame to aid in lifting the shovel beams when the seat frame is forwardly adjusted.

(3) The provision of individual beampositioning levers connectedat one end w th the respective beams and adapted to be in terlockcd with the seat frame in any one of several positions, so that when so adjustedthese levers will lift the beams, more or less :ui-cording to their adjusted position when ic seat frame is advanced forward through re action of the seat-adjusting lever, whereby each beam may be separately adjusted up or down by its own lever and whereby both beams may be simultaneously raised or lowered by the manipulation of the one general or seat-adjusting lever acting through the fore and aft adjustment of the seat frame.

In addition to the foregoing features are others which will appear in the bodv of the following specification.

ure 1 is a plan View of my improved nor in its entirety.

Figure 2 is a side elevation with the seat tl tl frame in its rear position and the shovel beams in cultivating position. i.

Figure 3 is a like elevation with the seat frame still in its rear position butwit-htlie' beams partially elevated through the forward adjustment of the individual beam-' positioning levers.

Figure 4 is another-like elevation but with the beams fully elevated and the seat frame placed in its forward position through the action of the seat adjusting lever which in this figure is shown in its. extreme forward position.

Figure 5 is a detail view in side elevation more clearly showing the foot lever and chain for laterally adjusting the bar andcoupling shaft, on which latter the beams are mounted. i

Figure 6 is a detail view showing the wheel spindle and wheel deflecting arm on lever 111 one piece.

In the drawings, 1 designates a pair of ground wheels, 2 an arched axle, and 8 bars which constitute the general or draft frame of the machine. This frame is secured by brackets 4to the arch. A draft pole 5 connected by a pivot bolt 6 to the draft frame and is adapted to be manipulated to different positionsrelative to a horizontal line, for purposes of properly adjusting the angle of the shovel to the soil, by means of the lever 7- fulcrumed' on a pivot link 8 car- -ried by a bracket 9 secured to the draft frame as by a bolt or rivet 10. A segment rack 11 is secured to the pole and to the end of the lever 7 by a bolt 12. The usual detent 13 is carried by the lever 7 and Inanipulated through a rod 14 and hand piece 15 so as to engage or disengage with the teeth of the rack to secure'the pole in different adjusted positions. then the lever is raised and lowered, its forward end raises and lowers the rack 11 and through itthe pole'5.

On the frame 3 are secured standards 16. Adjustably mounted in these standards is a transverse bar 17 to which is secured a pair of depending brackets 18' which carry a shaft 19. These parts, the bar 17, brackets 18 and shaft 19, are laterally adjustable through the means of chains 20 each secured to the bar and shaft through a clip 21, itself fastened to the bar and shaft. These chains pass over pulleys 22 carried by the standards 16 and thence to links 23 which a pair of guide sleeves and beams are adjusted likewise.

connect at 24 with the upper ends of the forward levers 25. The driverof the ma chine places his feet on these levers and by pushing upon one or the other can shift the bar 17 and shaft 19 laterally to adjust the shovel gangs to any desired lateral position with respect to the central line of the machine. To this end beam couplings 26, in the nature of sleeves, onerfor each beam, are mounted on the shaft 19 as more particularly seen in Figure 1. The bars 27 which comprise these beams are bolted or otherwise fastened to these coupling sleeves so that when the shaft is adjusted laterally the keep the sleeves spaced apart at the desired distance and to connect them against moving laterally with respect to the shaft 19, a lever 28 is pivoted to the lower part of the clip 21 and is connected by links 29 to the re spective sleeves 26. By manipulating the lever. 28 one'way or the otherthe sleeves with their beams are drawn closer together or positioned further apart, as may be desired. A perforated segment 30 forming a part of the clip 21 serves to lock the lever 28 in any adjusted position. For this purpose the inner end of one of the links 29 isextended far enough through the lever to enter any of the holes shownin the segment 30. In this way the lever with the sleeves and beams are held in adjusted positions. But when the bar 17 and shaft 19 are adjusted laterally through the foot levers and chains, the beams move with. themes a whole.

In order that this lateral positioning of the beams may accompany the deflection of the wheels 1 froma straight line forward to either side. so as tocause the machine to shift bodilyin alateral direction according to the sinuousities of the growingplants or the rows in which they are planted, I connect the wheel spindles 31 with the shaft 19 through the arms 32 which are in the nature of tillers. The connections of the arms or tillers to the shaft 19 are shown at 33 and maybe of any convenient form. The tillers preferably madeiinone continuous piece, as

best shown in Figure 6.1

I will'nowreferto that branch of my ma chine which comprises the means for vertically positioning the shovel beams and for the fore and aftipositioning of the seat frame on which the driver rides. This mechanism consists of two branches, one branch for vertically positioning the beams so as to adjust the shovels to the required depth of cultivation; and the other branch for raising the beams entirely away from the ground and at the same time advancing the seat frame forwardly with respect to the draft frame, so as to lessen the weight incident to the seat frame and driver at the rear of the axle as the weight of the shovel beams is thrown upon the machine at the rear of the axle as the beams-and shovels are raised at their rear ends to suspended positions.

The first branch ofthis mechanism comprises. a pair of beam positioning levers 36, one at. each side of the machine, and each having an extension 37 to which is connected a lifting and depressing rod 38. Each of these rods extends through its. beam andis adapted to be depressedso .asflto cause its collar 39 to force the, spring l0 downward against the beam to press the shovels deeply into the soil, as when the soil is hard or the land is dry. These springs thus act as yielding pressure devices to maintain the shovels properly in the ground. A reverse movement of the rods 38 will cause them to engage at their lower end with the beams to lift the beams slightly, or more or less, as may be desired when the shovels are to cultivate lightly or in a shallow manner, or when one or both of the wheelsma'y be running on a lower level than that of the ground where the shovels are operating, in which case it is expedient to position the beams and shovels one or both, somewhat upward. An enlargement 41 on the lower end of the rocs 38 forms a convenient means for causing the rods to engage the lower faces of the beams when the rods are moved upward.

The levers 36 are fulcrumed at 12 on pins or bolts which pass through segments 43.

by links 47 and hand pieces 18, to lock and unlock the levers in any given position with respect to the segments Referring now tothe seat frame it willbe observed that it is composed of sidebars 49 which are drawn together at their rear ends as seen at 50 in Figure 1 and are braced to-. gether by a cross bar 51. The seat- 52 has extensions in the nature of arms which extend between the portions 50 of the seat frame and are pivoted thereto by abolt 54 having a spacing block 55. 'A stop pin 56 carried by the parts 50 is engaged by the forward end of the arms 53 to hold the arms rigidly downward. The stop pin may be its adjusted to one or the otherof the several holes indicated at 57 in Figure 2, to adjust the elevation of the seat to suit the particular driver. The seat may be thrown forward on the bolt 54 to shorten the machine for shipping or storage.

The forward ends 58 of the seat frame are pivoted to links 59 which themselves are pivoted at 60 to the side bars 3 of the general frame and which have extensions (51 provided with several notches with either of which the forward end of the lifting springs 62 are connected. The rear ends of these springs are fastened to hooks 63 carried by clips 64 secured also to the bars 3 of the general frame. The purpose of these springs will be presently explained.

The seat frame bars 49 are also pivoted to the segments 43 by means of pivot bolts 65 .which extend through brackets 66 which are bolted as at 67 to the seat bars. In this way the seat frame as a whole is adapted to be shifted fore and aft with respect tothe draft frame and arched axle. The purpose, as before stated, in so shifting and positioning the seat frame is to effectthe proper counterbalance as between the weight at the rear of the axle when the beams are down in working position, or are elevated, as compared with the weight of the general machine for-' ward of the axle. iVhen the beams are lowered their weight is sustained by the shovels in the soil. \Vhen they are raised at their rearends they cast very considerable weight upon the machine at points rearward of the seat frame and the rider are moved forward so as to thrust a part of their weight upon the machine at points forward of the arch to counteract the excessive weight at the rear of the arch resulting from the raising of the beams.

The-means for so advancing the seat frame consists of a lever 68 fulcrumed at its forward lower end 69 to one of the main frame side bars 3 through the medium of a link 70 itself pivoted to such bar. This lever is connected to one of the side bars of the seat frame at 71 by a bolt there indicated. toothed segment 7 2 is also secured to the seat frame by the bolt 71 and an additional bolt 73, and the lever 68 is equipped with a conventional form of detent 74 operated by a rod 75 and hand piece 76, so as to lock and unlock the lever 68 to and from the segment 72 in either the position shown in Figure 2, which is when the beams are in cultivating position, or in that shown in Figure 4, when the beams are in elevated position. A manipulation of the lever 68 rocks the shaft 44 and thereby applies the movement produced by the lever to both'sides of the seat frame which in construction and in its connections with the main frame and the rock shaft are the same on both sides.

It will now be seen that when the shovel beams are to be elevated and held away from the ground, as when the machine is being driven to and from the field or is being turned round at the end of the corn rows, the lever 68 is thrown forward which has the effect of also swinging forwardly the segments 43 because these segments are con nected with the seat frame through the brackets 66. This movement of these ments causes the levers 66 to also move forward at their upper ends and upward at their rear ends, 37, so that the rods 38 are caused to lift the beams at that time. This operation will take, place irrespective of the particular position with respect to the ground which the beamsmay then occupywhether the shovels are cultivating deeply or lightly. And it will be observed that as the beams rise and add weight rearward of the axle the seat and driver advance forwardly with respect to the axle, for the counter-balancing purpose before referred to.

It will further be observed that the lifting springs now come into play and perform their function ofaiding in lifting the beams and advancing the seat frame because they are retractile springs and draw rearwardly on the extensions 61 of the links 59 which latter connect with the seat frame. Hence these springs cooperate with the driver when he pushes the lever 68 forwardly. The force of the springs 62 is transferred also to the beams through the connection of the seat frame with the segments 43 and the levers 36 whichare interlocked with those segments. v

As it will usually be desired to lift the beams as high as the beam-positioning levers 36 will do so, before they are lifted to their final high position, these levers 36 are first adjusted to the position shown in Figure 4, which is their limit of movement within convenient reach of the driver. adjusted these levers are then looked while in their extreme forward position to the segments 43. Then when the beam-raising and seat-adjusting lever 68 is thrown forward, the segments 43 are also moved forwardly,

Being so thereby further elevating the rear or lifting 7 endsof the levers 36 and lowering their front ends, which thereby bring the hand devices 48 into contact with the stops 48 on the links 59. This contact releases the detents of the levers 36 from engagement with the extreme forward notch 43 of the segments 4-3. In this manner, although the; levers 36 are thrown, ivlieirtlie lever GSis in its extreme forward position, as far downward as to make it inconvenient for the driver to reach the hand pieces 48 when he would desire to return the beams into the ground,

'still this automatic tripping of the hand pieces 4C8 relieves him of manually manipu lating them. I

Then when the lever68is agi iin pulled rearward to let the-beams down, alug 43" on each segment 43 engages the adjacent lever 36 and lifts it upward an'd rearward to within easy reach of the driver; such position being that shown in Figure 3a' position to whichthese' levers were first placed by the driver when he gave them the extreme forward movement. They return to such position in the manner ust stated and may then be adjusted further"rearward as may be desiredaccording to thedepth to whichthe shovels are to be allowed to descend in the soil. 7 i

It will now be seen that my improved cul' tivator by reason of the features of invention shown and described is capable ofready and what I claim as new and desire'to secure by" Letters Patent, is

1. In a cultivator, the combinatioir of-a general frame,-with' a seat-frame whose rear end carries a seat and-whose forward "portion is mounted totra vel back and=ferthon the general frame, link' coniiections between the main frameand the seatfranie by which the latter may so travel}beam lifting devices mounted on the main frame-and connected avith the seat frame, a, lever for advancing the seat frame forwarder re; ward to cause the beam hftmg devices toraiseor lower the beams, and springs connected tdthe main frame and to the seat fraineand actingto advance the seat fr'ame" forwardly and through it to lift onthebeaiiis, whereby" when the beams are lifted theseat frame is" advanced forwardly and -w'hen the beams are lowered the frame is" returned =rearwardly.

In a cultivatolythe combination*with a main frame, of a seat frame, links which connect the forward'end of tlieseat frame to the main frame, beam-liftii1gdevices fon the main frame,pivotedconnections between such devices and the seat fr aine, a lever piv-' oted to the 'inai'n frame-ana-adapted-r0 en- 3. In a cultivator, the combination with a main frame, links pivoted thereto, andbeam lifting dev ces carried thereby, comprising a rock shaft, segments secured thereto, beams carried by the main frame and connected with said levers, of a seat frame comprising side bars connected with said segments and to said links, and a lever connected to the main frame and theiseat frame and adapted to manipulate the latter and said segments, and springs connected with the main frame and to said links and adapted to aid in advancing the seat frame forwardly and raising the beams, whereby when the beams are lifted the seat frame is advanced forwardly and when the'beams are lowered the frame is returned rearwardly.

l. In a cultivator, the combination with a main frame, links pivoted thereto and beamlifting'devices carried by said frame and including levers having connections adapted to liftthe beams of the machine, of a seat fr'ame having' side bars connected with said links and to the beanrraising devices, a lever connected "to the two frames and adapted to adjust the seat frame forward or backward,

devices to unlock the bean'i-positioning levers and means-on the'beam-lifting devices to lift said beainlevers when the seat frame is adjusted rearwardly.

5. In a cultivator, the combination with a main frame, of links pivoted thereto and havingextensions, springs connected with said extensions and to the main frame, and beam-lifting devices mounted on the main frameand including levers connected with the shovel beams of the machine, and toothed segments, of a seat frame comprising side bars connected with said links and to said segments, stops on the links to trip the detentsof said levers, and lugs onthe ments to lift said levers, and a lever connected to the main frame and the seat frame and adapted to operate the latter forwardly and iearwardly.

6. In a cultivator, the combination with a main frame, links carried thereby and beamelevating devices mounted on said'frame and eomprisinga rock shaft, segments secured thereto and beam-lifting levers, of a seat framecomprisingside bars connected to said links and to said segments, a further segment secured to one of the seat bars, a lever pivoted tothe main frame and to the seat frame-and adapted to be locked and unlocked to and from said segment and to adjust the eat frame forwardly and rearwardly and thereby to operate the beam-lifting devices to raise and lower them simultaneously with the movements of the seat frame, whereby when the beams are lifted the seat frame is advanced forwardly and when the beams are lowered the frame is returned rearwardly.

7. In a cultivator, the combination'with a main frame, links carried thereby and having extensions, springs secured to the extensions and to said frame, beam-elevating devices mounted on said frame and comprising' a rock shaft, segments secured thereto and beam-lifting levers mounted on said segments and adapted to lock and unlock therewith and having connections with the beams of the machine, of a seat frame comprising side bars connected to said links and to said segments, a further segment secured to one of the seat bars, a lever pivoted to the main frame and to the seat frame and adapted to be locked and unlocked to and from said segment and to adjust the seat frame forwardly and rearwardly and thereby to operate the beam-lifting devices to raise and lower them simultaneously with the movements of the seat frame, and stops to unlock the beam-lifting levers from their segments, and devices carried by said segments to lift said levers.

8. In a cultivator, the combination with a main frame, shovel beams carried thereby, links and a rock shaft carried by said frame, segments connected to said rock shaft, levers pivoted to said segments and having connections with the beams, of a seat frame having side bars connected to said links and said segments, a lever fulcrumed to the main frame and connected with the seat frame, and a segment mounted on the latter frame and with which said lever is adapted to engage and disengage; whereby the beams may be positioned independently by the first-named lever and whereby the beams may be lifted and lowered and the seat frame adjusted forwardly or rearwardly by its said lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RICHARD H. GRIFFITH. 

